West Virginia’s first state auditor was Ed B. Moore. Moore was born in Pleasant County, West Virginia in 1873. He attended Fairmont Normal School and the National Normal University. After serving as assistant cashier and cashier at the First National Bank in Fairmont, he was appointed as state tax commissioner by Governor Glasscock in 1909. Moore then served as the first elected State Auditor from 1913 to 1917.
West Virginia’s current state auditor is JB McCuskey. He has been the incumbent auditor since January 2017. The auditor’s office conducts audits of county governments and boards of education. McCuskey was a delegate from Charleston but resigned to focus on his auditor campaign.
Mary Ann Claytor is also running for auditor. She has accounting experience from working in the auditor’s office. Glen Gainer served as the auditor from 1993 until he resigned in 2016. The auditor is part of the executive branch along with the governor and is responsible for collecting some taxes and fees. Additionally, the auditor is a member of the Board of Public Works.
Duties and Responsibilities
The auditor runs unclaimed property searches online, and the treasurer pays unclaimed property claims. Claims take 90 days to process due to the volume. The auditor offered fire departments a purchasing card program, although some departments have not participated. When fraud occurs, prosecutors call the auditor to investigate.
The auditor issues critical audits of governments and taxpayers to ensure accountability and transparency in financial matters. Furthermore, the auditor collaborates with WVU business students on a monitoring project that aims to enhance the efficiency of local governments.
JB McCuskey is focused on enhancing the operations of the auditor’s office and informing citizens about the government’s financial activities. He is nearing the end of his second term.
West Virginia’s state auditor is JB McCuskey. McCuskey has been the incumbent auditor since January 2017. The auditor’s office conducts audits of county governments and boards of education. McCuskey was a delegate from Charleston but resigned to focus on his auditor campaign.
The auditor is West Virginia’s official bookkeeper, responsible for ensuring the legality of fund disbursements from the state treasurer. This independent elected official is one of the five constitutional officers who, along with the governor, form the executive branch of the state government in West Virginia.
West Virginia Auditor J.B. McCuskey announced he is ending his campaign for governor and will instead seek the Republican nomination for state AG. McCuskey has served two terms as state Auditor and previously served as a delegate from Charleston.